THE GOLDEN BALL
by Flora Annie Webster Steel · from English Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Long ago, in a small village, lived two sisters. One day, a man with gold came. He gave each girl a golden ball. He said, "Keep it safe. If you lose it, you must leave home."
Lily was the youngest sister. She played with her golden ball. She threw it high in the air. The ball went over a tall fence. It rolled to a dark house. The ball went inside. Lily could not see it.
Lily lost her golden ball. This was a bad rule. The village said, "Lily must leave. She cannot stay." Lily was sad.
Lily had a sweetheart. His name was Tom. Tom loved Lily. He said, "I will get the ball." He went to the house. The Wise Woman met him. She said, "Sleep in the house three nights."
Tom went into the house. He looked for the ball. He hid behind a door. A big giant came in. It was Big Giant One. Tom was brave. He tricked the giant. He made the giant go away. Little Monsters were in the yard. They ran away too.
Tom stayed in the house again. A second big giant came in. It was Big Giant Two. Tom hid again. He was very brave. He tricked the giant. He made the giant go away.
Tom stayed a third night. Little Monsters played with the ball. It was under his bed. Tom scared them away. They ran away fast.
Tom took the golden ball. He ran to Lily.
Lily was in the village square. She had to leave. Her family was there. Lily asked, "Do you have my ball?" Her mother said, "I am sad. I cannot help." Her father said, "I am sad. I cannot help." Her brother said, "I am sad. I cannot help."
The village elder was there. He would send her away. Tom ran in. He had the ball. Tom said, "I have the ball! Lily is free!"
Lily was happy. Tom was happy. They went home. They lived happily ever after. Tom was brave. Lily was safe. Their love was strong.
Original Story
THE GOLDEN BALL
Once upon a time there lived two lasses, who were sisters, and as they came from the fair they saw a right handsome young man standing at a house door before them. They had never seen such a handsome young man before. He had gold on his cap, gold on his finger, gold on his neck, gold at his waist! And he had a golden ball in each hand. He gave a ball to each lass, saying she was to keep it; but if she lost it, she was to be hanged.
Now the youngest of the lasses lost her ball, and this is how. She was by a park paling, and she was tossing her ball, and it went up, and up, and up, till it went fair over the paling; and when she climbed to look for it, the ball ran along the green grass, and it ran right forward to the door of a house that stood there, and the ball went into the house and she saw it no more.
So she was taken away to be hanged by the neck till she was dead, because she had lost her ball.
But the lass had a sweetheart, and he said he would go and get the ball. So he went to the park gate, but 'twas shut; then he climbed the railing, and when he got to the top of it an old woman rose up out of the ditch before him and said that if he wanted to get the ball he must sleep three nights in the house: so he said he would.
Well! when it was evening, he went into the house, and looked everywhere for the ball, but he could not find it, nor any one in the house at all; but when night came on he thought he heard bogles moving about in the courtyard; so he looked out o' window, and, sure enough, the yard was full of them!
Presently he heard steps coming upstairs, so he hid behind the door, and was as still as a mouse. Then in came a big giant five times as tall as the lad, and looked around; but seeing nothing he went to the window and bowed himself to look out; and as he bowed on his elbows to see the bogles in the yard, the lad stepped behind him, and with one blow of his sword he cut him in twain, so that the top part of him fell in the yard, and the bottom part remained standing looking out of the window.
Well! there was a great cry from the bogles when they saw half the giant come tumbling down to them, and they called out, "There comes half our master; give us the other half."
Then the lad said, "It's no use of thee, thou pair of legs, standing alone at the window, as thou hast no eye to see with, so go join thy brother"; and he cast the lower part of the giant after the top part. Now when the bogles had gotten all the giant they were quiet.
Next night the lad went to sleep in the house again, and this time a second giant came in at the door, and as he came in the lad cut him in twain; but the legs walked on to the fire and went straight up the chimney.
"Go, get thee after thy legs," said the lad to the head, and he cast the other half of the giant up the chimney.
Now the third night nothing happened, so the lad got into bed; but before he went to sleep he heard the bogles striving under the bed, and he wondered what they were at. So he peeped, and saw that they had the ball there, and were playing with it, casting it to and fro.
Now after a time one of them thrust his leg out from under the bed, and quick as anything the lad brings his sword down, and cuts it off. Then another bogle thrust his arm out at t'other side of the bed, and in a twinkling the lad cuts that off too. So it went on, till at last he had maimed them all, and they all went off, crying and wailing, and forgot the ball! Then the lad got out of bed, found the ball, and went off at once to seek his true love.
Now the lass had been taken to York to be hanged; she was brought out on the scaffold, and the hangman said, "Now, lass, thou must hang by the neck till thou be'st dead." But she cried out:
"Stop, stop, I think I see my mother coming!
O mother, hast thou brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?"
And the mother answered:
"I've neither brought thy golden ball
Nor come to set thee free,
But I have come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows-tree."
Then the hangman said, "Now, lass, say thy prayers for thou must die." But she said:
"Stop, stop, I think I see my father coming!
O father, hast thou brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?"
And the father answered:
"I've neither brought thy golden ball
Nor come to set thee free,
But I have come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows-tree."
Then the hangman said, "Hast thee done thy prayers? Now, lass, put thy head into the noose."
But she answered, "Stop, stop, I think I see my brother coming!" And again she sang her little verse, and the brother sang back the same words. And so with her sister, her uncle, her aunt, and her cousin. But they all said the same:
"I've neither brought thy golden ball
Nor come to set thee free,
But I have come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows-tree."
Then the hangman said, "I will stop no longer, thou'rt making game of me. Thou must be hung at once."
But now, at long last, she saw her sweetheart coming through the crowd, so she cried to him:
"Stop, stop, I see my sweetheart coming!
Sweetheart, hast thou brought my golden ball
And come to set me free?"
Then her sweetheart held up her golden ball and cried:
"Aye, I have brought to thee thy golden ball
And come to set thee free;
I have not come to see thee hung
Upon this gallows-tree."
So he took her home, then and there, and they lived happy ever after.
Story DNA
Moral
True love and courage can overcome even the most dire circumstances.
Plot Summary
Two sisters receive golden balls, with the youngest facing execution if hers is lost. When she loses it, her sweetheart embarks on a perilous quest to retrieve it from a haunted house, where he battles giants and outwits bogles over three nights. He succeeds and races to the gallows, arriving just as his beloved is about to be hanged, after her family members refuse to help. He presents the golden ball, saving her life, and they live happily ever after.
Themes
Emotional Arc
despair to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Public hangings were a common form of execution in England for centuries, often drawing large crowds. The story reflects a pre-modern legal system.
Plot Beats (13)
- Two sisters meet a handsome man who gives them each a golden ball, with the penalty of hanging if lost.
- The youngest sister loses her golden ball while playing, as it rolls into a mysterious house.
- She is condemned to be hanged for losing the ball.
- Her sweetheart vows to retrieve the ball and is instructed by an old woman to sleep three nights in the house where the ball went.
- On the first night, the sweetheart hides and defeats a giant by cutting him in half and throwing both parts to the bogles in the yard.
- On the second night, he defeats a second giant by cutting him in half and sending both parts up the chimney.
- On the third night, he finds bogles playing with the golden ball under his bed and strategically cuts off their limbs until they flee, leaving the ball.
- He retrieves the golden ball and rushes to save his true love.
- The lass is brought to the gallows in York, where she repeatedly asks various family members if they have brought her ball to set her free.
- Each family member (mother, father, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin) replies that they have come only to see her hanged.
- Just as the hangman is about to proceed, the sweetheart arrives with the golden ball.
- He confirms he has the ball and has come to set her free.
- The lass is released, and she and her sweetheart go home and live happily ever after.
Characters
The Youngest Lass ★ protagonist
Slender build, average height for a young woman of the English countryside. Her features are likely soft, perhaps a bit pale from distress during her ordeal.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing of a 19th-century English peasant girl. A plain, long-sleeved linen or wool dress in muted colors like grey, brown, or faded blue, possibly with a white apron over it. Sturdy, low-heeled leather shoes or clogs.
Wants: To regain her golden ball and avoid execution; to be reunited with her sweetheart.
Flaw: Carelessness (losing the ball), vulnerability to the harsh laws of her society.
Starts as a carefree girl, faces a death sentence due to a simple mistake, and is ultimately saved by her sweetheart, leading to a happy ending.
Naive, playful (initially), fearful, hopeful, resilient (in her repeated pleas).
Image Prompt & Upload
A young peasant woman standing on a wooden scaffold, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has light brown hair pulled back simply, a round face with wide, fearful blue eyes, and fair skin. She wears a long, plain grey linen dress with a white apron over it, and sturdy brown leather shoes. Her hands are clasped together in front of her, and her expression is one of desperate hope and anxiety. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Sweetheart ★ protagonist
Likely a sturdy, capable young man, perhaps of average height, with a build suggesting physical labor or readiness for action. He is brave and determined.
Attire: Practical, durable clothing of a 19th-century English countryman. A dark wool or homespun linen tunic or jacket, sturdy breeches or trousers, and strong leather boots. He would carry a sword, indicating he might be a soldier or simply a man prepared for danger.
Wants: To save his true love from execution by retrieving her golden ball.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, but his loyalty makes him vulnerable to danger.
Starts as a loyal lover, becomes a hero through his trials, and successfully rescues his beloved, leading to a happy life together.
Brave, loyal, resourceful, determined, heroic.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has short, dark brown hair, a strong jawline, and determined brown eyes. He wears a dark green wool jacket, sturdy brown breeches, and tall leather boots. A silver-hilted sword is sheathed at his left hip. He holds a gleaming golden ball aloft in his right hand. His expression is resolute and triumphant. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Handsome Young Man ○ minor
Strikingly attractive, with an air of wealth and mystery. He is described as 'right handsome'.
Attire: Extremely opulent and distinctive. His cap, finger, neck, and waist are adorned with gold. This suggests fine, perhaps velvet or silk garments, with gold embroidery or accessories. His attire would be of a higher social standing than the lasses.
Wants: Unknown; possibly to test the lasses, or simply to dispense the golden balls with their attached fate.
Flaw: None shown, as he appears only briefly.
Static, he serves as the catalyst for the plot.
Mysterious, imposing, perhaps a trickster or a figure of fate, as he sets the dangerous condition.
Image Prompt & Upload
A handsome young man standing, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has dark, neatly styled hair and sharp, intelligent eyes. He wears a rich, dark blue velvet coat with gold embroidery, a white ruffled shirt, and dark breeches. A golden ring is on his finger, a golden chain around his neck, and a golden sash at his waist. He wears a dark cap adorned with gold. He holds a gleaming golden ball in each hand. His expression is serious and enigmatic. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Old Woman ◆ supporting
A wizened, perhaps slightly hunched figure, rising unexpectedly from a ditch, suggesting a connection to the earth or hidden places.
Attire: Simple, worn, and perhaps earth-toned clothing, consistent with an elderly woman living in the countryside, possibly a dark cloak or shawl over a plain dress.
Wants: To guide the sweetheart, perhaps to test his bravery or ensure the giants are dealt with.
Flaw: None shown.
Static, she provides a key plot point and then disappears.
Mysterious, knowing, a dispenser of crucial information and conditions.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly woman rising from a ditch, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has a deeply wrinkled face, sharp grey eyes, and wispy white hair escaping from under a dark, hooded cloak. She wears a simple, dark brown wool dress beneath the cloak. Her posture is slightly hunched, and her hands are gnarled. Her expression is knowing and serious. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The First Giant ⚔ antagonist
Enormous, 'five times as tall as the lad', implying immense height and bulk. He is a formidable, monstrous figure.
Attire: No specific clothing mentioned, suggesting simple, perhaps animal-hide garments or just his monstrous form.
Wants: To inhabit the house, to interact with the bogles.
Flaw: His lack of awareness, his predictable movements, his vulnerability to a swift attack.
Static, he is defeated and dismembered by the sweetheart.
Brutish, unaware of danger, easily outsmarted.
Image Prompt & Upload
A colossal, muscular male giant, five times the height of a human, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a brutish face with a heavy brow, small, dark eyes, and a wide, flat nose. His skin is rough and greyish, and his dark, shaggy hair is unkempt. He wears only a simple, tattered brown loincloth. His posture is imposing and slightly hunched. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Second Giant ⚔ antagonist
Another enormous giant, similar in size and monstrousness to the first, but with a different reaction to being dismembered.
Attire: No specific clothing mentioned, suggesting simple, perhaps animal-hide garments or just his monstrous form.
Wants: To inhabit the house.
Flaw: His lack of awareness, his vulnerability to a swift attack.
Static, he is defeated and dismembered by the sweetheart.
Brutish, unaware of danger, with an unnatural, persistent life force in his severed parts.
Image Prompt & Upload
A colossal, muscular male giant, five times the height of a human, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a brutish face with a heavy brow, small, dark eyes, and a wide, flat nose. His skin is rough and greyish, and his dark, shaggy hair is unkempt. He wears only a simple, tattered brown loincloth. His posture is imposing as he steps through a doorway. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Bogles ⚔ antagonist
Small, shadowy, and numerous, they are described as 'moving about' and 'striving under the bed'. They have legs and arms that can be severed, suggesting a somewhat humanoid but grotesque form.
Attire: None, they are likely naked or covered in indistinct, shadowy forms.
Wants: To play with the golden ball, to interact with their 'master' (the giants).
Flaw: Vulnerable to physical attack, easily maimed and scared away.
Static, they are defeated and scared away by the sweetheart.
Playful (with the ball), mischievous, easily frightened, prone to wailing when hurt.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, shadowy, grotesque creature with spindly limbs, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has indistinct features, glowing red eyes, and a hunched posture. Its skin is dark and leathery. It is reaching out with a clawed hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Park Paling
A wooden fence or railing bordering a park, with green grass beyond it. The paling is tall enough to obscure the view over it.
Mood: Initially playful, then anxious and foreboding
The youngest sister loses her golden ball over the paling, leading to her capture.
Image Prompt & Upload
A weathered, tall wooden park paling, possibly made of rough-hewn timber, with a dense, vibrant green grass lawn stretching beyond it. The sun casts soft, dappled light, suggesting a clear day. A single golden ball rests on the grass near the base of the paling, partially obscured. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Haunted House
An old, possibly abandoned house, with windows looking out onto a courtyard. It has an upstairs, a fireplace with a chimney, and space under the bed. The architecture suggests a sturdy, older British dwelling, perhaps stone or half-timbered, but in disrepair.
Mood: Eerie, suspenseful, dangerous, then triumphant
The sweetheart spends three nights battling giants and bogles to retrieve the golden ball.
Image Prompt & Upload
The interior of a derelict, old British house at night. Moonlight streams through a grimy, leaded-pane window, illuminating dust motes in the air. Rough-hewn timber beams support a low ceiling, and the stone hearth of a large, cold fireplace dominates one wall. Shadows are deep and long, creating a sense of unease. The floorboards are wide and worn. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
York Scaffold
A public execution platform in York, likely made of rough timber, with a noose. It is surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
Mood: Grim, despairing, then dramatically hopeful and relieved
The youngest sister is brought to be hanged, and is saved at the last moment by her sweetheart.
Image Prompt & Upload
A stark, rough-hewn timber scaffold stands prominently in a public square in historical York, under a clear, unforgiving daytime sky. A thick rope with a noose hangs from the gallows beam. Cobblestone ground surrounds the platform, and a dense, somber crowd of onlookers is visible in the background, their faces upturned. The architecture of distant medieval York buildings, possibly stone and timber-framed, can be faintly seen beyond the crowd. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
